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The Daily Word of Righteousness
The Big Picture
And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, To be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. (Ephesians 1:9,10—NIV)
The purpose of this essay is to briefly set forth the big picture of what God has done, is doing, and yet will do with His creatures. A glimpse of the overall plan may help us avoid side trips into doctrines and practices that are not central to the Divine purpose. Although God's scheme is infinitely complex in its carrying out, it actually consists of a few simple ideas.
If you will think carefully about the above passage of Scripture you will see that God's plan is to bring all things of His creation together under one Head, the Lord Jesus Christ. All things are to become part of Christ.
Our Christian tradition tends to view God's purpose as that of bringing people to Heaven to live forever. This would accomplish nothing. After all, rebellion and sin began in Heaven around the Throne of God.
The Divine purpose is to bring all things together as part of Christ, Christ being the King over all.
This is a simply expressed idea but it encompasses all that has taken place, is now taking place, and yet shall take place. It is the Kingdom of God.
We do not know how long before God created the material realm that the angels chose to rebel against His will. We do understand, however, that all that has taken place since then has been in response to the original rebellion.
Whether Almighty God knew before He created, through the Word, the angels, cherubim, and other creatures of the spirit realm that some of them would rebel, and had already made His plans for summing up the creation in the Word, it is difficult to tell. My guess is that He did know rebellion would arise.
Whatever dignitaries there were at that time among the heavenly creatures, there was One who loves righteousness and hates wickedness. For this reason the Father has set Him above His companions by anointing Him with the oil of joy.
Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. (Psalms 45:6,7—NIV)
God is very slow to anger and very wise in His response. He does not rush around in a rage, doing stupid things until He cools down. We ought to learn from this. He could have satisfied His anger concerning the rebellion by immediately consigning all of the rebels to the Lake of Fire, to the place of torment reserved for the devil and his angels.
But God was pleased with the Word, who had come out from Himself. Rather than just destroying the wicked immediately God envisioned a new creation that would reflect in itself the love of righteousness and hatred of wickedness that resides in Himself and in His Son, the Word—He who was to become "Christ" by virtue of the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
To be continued.